Waheed steps down as Special Envoy after Epstein ties trigger public backlash

Former President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has resigned from his post as Special Envoy to the President following sustained public scrutiny and mounting criticism stemming from revelations of his close association with convicted American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The President’s Office confirmed that Dr. Waheed submitted his resignation letter to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Tuesday morning.

Documents released by the United States Department of Justice show that Dr. Waheed sought advice from Epstein on financial and other matters on multiple occasions. The records include extensive email correspondence between the two. Despite widespread public calls for his removal from office following the disclosures, President Muizzu allowed Dr. Waheed to remain in his position until his resignation.

Muizzu previously served as Minister of Housing during Dr. Waheed’s presidency, which marked Muizzu’s first appointment to a cabinet-level post. Both figures have repeatedly emphasized their close political relationship and personal friendship in public forums. Dr. Waheed’s name appears no fewer than 240 times in the materials commonly referred to as the Epstein Files.

The released documents further indicate that Epstein provided assistance to Dr. Waheed in addressing diplomatic pressure from the Commonwealth during his presidency. This pressure followed allegations that the transfer of power from the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed amounted to a coup. The records show that Epstein played a role in advising Dr. Waheed’s administration on how to manage the international scrutiny it faced at the time.